Flickr shot by brianwallace

Truth be told, I have a thing for motels. In fact staying in motels is the highlight for me when taking road trips. Something about the “international breakfast” doughnuts in the morning, the crisp white bed sheets, and the temporariness of it all.

So every time I pass by the Farmer’s Daughter on Fairfax across the street from the Farmer’s Market (apart from reminding me of a dirty joke I once heard), I’m tempted to check in and check it out.

She’s been around for over 30 years and while the Grove was built and the market was remade, she sat comfortably in her downhome seediness for a bit. But then, like every other Angeleno, she succumbed to an extreme makeover. Yes, after a multi-million-dollar renovation she’s transformed into “an urban oasis brimming with country charm.”

Now there are cabanas and a new French country cuisine restaurant called Tart (which is planned to open in mid-March and be helmed by Claude Segal, formerly of the Sunset Room, Drai’s and Ma Maison).

But most intriguing of all? A little something called the No Tell Room. For lovers, players or fugitives, this is being billed as the motor lodge’s most special room, a suite tucked discreetly in a corner of the building, and away from the street noises of bustling Fairfax.

From what I’ve read, it sounds like it’s equipped for late-night trysts and/or after-hour parties. There’s a fully stocked wet bar built into the back wall, soft blue-pink mood lighting, a wall-length mural of a wheat field and skyline and, of course, a huge mirror over the king bed. I just wonder why sound-proof walls wasn’t one of the features. Pictures on the hotel’s Web site make it look like the Avalon in Beverly Hills even though reviews have attributed its style to kitschy country. I don’t know if that’s just great photography or reality but there’s only one way to find out.

So if you’ve met that special someone for the night but don’t want to take them back to your place or if you and your friends don’t want the night to end just yet, see if the No Tell Room is available. But remember, check out’s at 11am.

115 South Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90036
(323) 937-3930
Reservations: (800) 334-1658 or click here.
Cost: $169-$189